So what do we do about athletes behaving badly?
If I’m a Georgia fan, here is what would drive me absolutely nuts:
We just watched our 40-year-old athletics director commit career suicide for making foolish decisions about alcohol and his personal life. It cost him a salary of $550,000 per year and untold other benefits in the future. It also embarrassed the hell out of him and his family. There are no adjectives to fully describe how bad it was and there is no way to truly quantify how much it will ultimately cost Damon Evans both professionally and financially.
In short, it was really, really bad. It was kind of thing you probably wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy.
So if you’re an athlete at the University of Georgia and you’ve seen one of the most high-profile employees of the school lose almost everything in the space of a few days, wouldn’t it occur to you to be a LITTLE more careful in your behavior–at least for a couple of weeks?
Wouldn’t you say to yourself: “Self, if that can happen to Damon Evans, it sure could happen to me! One day he was running the whole athletic department, making good money, living in a great house, and driving a BMW. Man, he had it all and now he’s GONE! Guess I’d better watch it for a while until things calm down.”
If you were an athlete at the University of Georgia, wouldn’t you at least THINK about that?
Apparently not. Two players were arrested Sunday on alcohol-related charges. They have been suspended from the team. As Mark Bradley points out, that makes seven arrests this year for Georgia football players.
Here is what would drive me crazy if I was a Tennessee football fan: In 2007 we were two bad passes away from winning the SEC championship. Now we’re working under our third head coach in three years. The whole world is telling us that we’ll be lucky to win five games in 2010 but we do have some hope.
Derek Dooley is now our head coach which means that an adult is back in charge. Dooley has made it clear that a change in culture is coming. If you are a Tennessee player and you liked the culture of the previous guy, you’ll find him out on the West Coast serving two years of NCAA probation. Feel free to join him. But if you stay here you better understand that there is a new sheriff in town.
If you’re a Tennessee player wouldn’t you think that maybe–just maybe–it would be a good idea to be careful because a lot of people are watching and this Dooley guy is not kidding around?
Apparently not. The other day Tennessee fans had to look at the searing images of two players covering their faces from photographers as they left a detention facility in Knoxville. An off duty police officer was sent to the hospital while trying to break up a fight in a bar. Media reports say Tennessee players were involved. To what extent will be determined in the future by local law enforcement. One guy has already been kicked off the team.
Needless to say it was a setback for Dooley’s attempt to change the culture of Tennessee football.
Here is where I think we are on this issue.
The vast, vast majority of college student athletes behave themselves and accomplish great things on the field and in the classroom. There are some amazing kids who participate in college sports. We should never forget that.
But within this large universe of good kids, there is a subset of people who participate in college athletics who cannot or will not draw a straight line between actions and consequences. They believe, for whatever reason, that their talent makes them bullet proof and unaccountable. And in some cases they are right. And when they are right, that’s when the adults have to take an integrity check.
It’s easy for me to write this. My professional future is not resting on the behavior of an 18-year-old kid whose ego was so pumped up during the recruiting process that he thinks the rules don’t apply to him. It’s easy for me to say that you send the kid packing and let him figure out his future far, far away from your campus.
But I don’t think you ever get a handle on that subset of problem children unless you have a conversation with them that goes something like this:
Young man, you are blessed with enormous talent. But you have a decision to make. Which do you want to do more: Play football and go to school OR engage in anti-social and potentially criminal activity? You can’t do both. If you want to play football we have a great opportunity here and we would love to have you with us because, as I said, you are very talented and we believe you could be very successful as an athlete and as a student.
But if you embarrass our football program and our university, your athletic career can be ended right here and right now. You know that NFL dream you’ve had since you were little? It won’t happen because the pros have decided they are fed up with the Michael Vicks and the Ben Roethlisbergers, and the Pac-Man Joneses of the world. These guys do more background research on a potential NFL Draft pick than the U.S. Senate does on a future Supreme Court justice. They will come to us and ask us what we think of you. And we will tell them the truth.
So on draft day, when you go in the fifth round after your agent said you were a lock to go in the first, you’ll know why.
Now is this kind of harsh? Yeah, I guess it is. Would this potentially hurt a school in recruiting? With a certain kind of kid, probably so.
But Mark Bradley also pointed out in a recent column that one of the reasons Evans had to go was because he was in a leadership position and had seriously damaged the “brand” of the University of Georgia. And that is a really big deal. Do we not hold high-profile student athletes to the same standard? And if we don’t, is it because we think it’s easier to replace an athletics director than a great wide receiver? Again, it’s the adults who are paid to make the tough decisions.
And don’t tell me that this happens everywhere. I know it does. And don’t tell me that some schools are better at covering it up than others. That may be true. Is that the rationale you want to hang your hat on: That everybody does it and some are just better at getting away with it?
But on this issue, fans and media are often guilty of wanting to have their cake and eat it too. When the left tackle gets into trouble and embarrasses your university, you want him gone–right now. But when the backup left tackle gives up four sacks in the next game and your team loses, the coaches suddenly become stupid people and should be replaced.
We can’t have it both ways. Like we just told the athlete who behaves badly, we have a choice. We either want discipline or we don’t. If we do, then we have to be adults and live with the consequences. And if we don’t, we also have to be prepared to live with the consequences as well.
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206 comments Add your comment
npgator
July 13th, 2010
8:13 am
First! Yeah!
Bulldog59
July 13th, 2010
8:13 am
Well said Tony!
npgator
July 13th, 2010
8:15 am
Some of these gifted athletes are just plain too stupid to understand the consequences of their nafarious activities.
dip
July 13th, 2010
8:20 am
Tony,
Why doesn’t UGA do a better job of recruiting the STUDENT/athlete? It doesn’t matter how great you are in High School if you get kicked off the college team. The fault lies with UGA recruiting – look at the complete person not just the athletic ability.
Joel
July 13th, 2010
8:23 am
Tony or anybody with an opinion,
Where do you think Damon Evans ends up after this? Small college AD or new line of work? Also who is UGA looking at for a replacement?
Carl, from Fed-Ex
July 13th, 2010
8:23 am
That would be “nefarious”. But I digress.
Beast from the East
July 13th, 2010
8:25 am
Tony,
Love the “adult” comment concerning Dooley now at UT! That’s classic!
From what I’ve read the past week, about 40-50% of UGA fans are using the logic you mentioned in the 3rd paragraph from the bottom. “It goes on everywhere and the other guys in Gainesville and Tuscaloosa get a pass”. “The Athens PD is just picking on our boys”. I don’t get it.
As a Gator, I have enjoyed our run the last 20 years. But I would never want our “brand” to be compromised just for the sake of winning a few ballgames. I’m not saying that the administrators or coaches at UGA do either, but a large portion of their fans could care less it seems. They continue to want to deflect blame, finger-point and downgrade the severity of the infractions. That’s the whole problem….no accountability.
KEGreene
July 13th, 2010
8:30 am
The STUDENT/athlete are all highly recruited. But as Tony said, the coaches multi-million dollar jobs are on the line. If UGA put a product like Vandy’s on the field, but said “Look, we graduate 95% of our team and we have this Dr., Lawyer, Rhodes Scholar…” The UGA fans would say, “I don’t see any SEC or BCS Championship rings”. Every school is trying to balance this. They hope that the borderline kids they take will rise in the situation instead of help poison a lockerroom and take other borderline kids or good kids with them.
dawgsux
July 13th, 2010
8:30 am
I know Ga. fans don’t want to hear this but their problems started when the players charged the field against the Gators. It is called discipline folks and Georgia doesn’t have any.
Coach Cool
July 13th, 2010
8:31 am
IF you’re a Georgia fan?!?!?!
Say what?!?!?!
AlwaysAVol
July 13th, 2010
8:36 am
Good write Tony. And I agree, walk the line, represent your university well, or get out. The scholarship you ride is a privilege, not a right. Go hoping for a professional career, but don’t count on it being in sports. Don’t waste the opportunity. Be a role model. I think of all the Vicks, Rothlisbergers, such as that, but then you see the Eric Berrys, the Mark Ingrams, The Mannings. There are a lot more good than there are bad out there, but I think we do a great disservice to both sides by not doling out punishment, correction that has teeth, that is serious, and that works. Now, I’m ready for some SEC football!
Max Sizemore
July 13th, 2010
8:37 am
Hey, Tony. Don’t you or anyone else remember what it was like to be 19 or 20? I was an idiot, that’s for sure.
Balderdash
July 13th, 2010
8:38 am
Amen, brother. No, I don’t think the message you laid out is harsh in the least. Blunt is not a sin.
Captbob
July 13th, 2010
8:38 am
Tony, Very good analysis of problem. The rubber meets the road with the fans as you so ably stated in the last two paragraphs. Until we care as much about our school and its teams respected as class organizations as we do about the won-loss record nothing will change. Problem is we have a subset of fans who mimic the actions of the immature, ‘all about me’ athlete who is constantly in trouble with the law…they only care about the won-loss record…
Freckly Face Albino Tech Nerd
July 13th, 2010
8:39 am
You can drink, just dont drive. How hard is that to figure out?
bo
July 13th, 2010
8:40 am
In the long run Evans didn’t damage UGA, but keeping him would have done so.
VDawg
July 13th, 2010
8:41 am
No doubt scholarship athletes should be held to a higher standard. Obviously alcohol is almost always a contributing factor. The reality of it is this. College kids party. They do crazy wild stuff because they are experienceing freedom and parental independance for the first time. Put thousands of them together and it’s a crazy feeding frenzy. They are also starting to experience accountability for the first time. Often the two clash which brings us to this subject where these athletes are concerned.
Now at Georgia, Adams is really cracking down on Alcohol as compared to years past. I notice when the Athletes in Athens are usually caught with thier pants down it’s by UGA police. I ask this: Is there a corelation between athletes busted and the practices of campus securities, particularly where athletes are concerned.
Now at TN it seems to be a bit different. Those kids are not just doing a little partying. There are some violent crimes within that group.
Once again, alcohol related where the party gets out of hand.
I’m not sure why it happens more at some colleges than others. Is it discipline? Maybe so. I will say if it is a scholarship athlete, they should be treated as an employee of the administration. Drinking should not be allowed. If you have that rule at your school alone however, your recruiting just got gut shot.
It all boils down to this…..Boys will be boys. Maybe we should recruit those that are ready to be responsible men, and leave the boys to thier booze.
Shreveport Waffle House Cook
July 13th, 2010
8:41 am
When y’all going to come back down here?
Big Dave
July 13th, 2010
8:41 am
The hipocracy displayed by UGA and all the other BCS schools is amazing. It’s ok for 18 year olds to beat the stuffing out each other in front of a hundred thousand fans-a large percentage of which are intoxicated. Meanwhile players,many who come from nothing and who are coached by very highly compensated men aren’t allowed to even drink a beer after laying it on the line for their school. DUI is never right but the disparity between the players and the people who profit from their efforts is astounding. This is not necessarily a problem specific to UGA. It happens everywhere and getting caught is like losing at roulette.
Dawg Nation
July 13th, 2010
8:43 am
We’ll see you for the holidays, Shreveport. Remember, I like mind scattered, smothered and peppered.
David Howton
July 13th, 2010
8:45 am
Great comments Tony. Student athletes must be held accountable for their actions and there needs to be a clear understanding of expectations by coaching staffs at the universities when these 17-18 year olds enter the programs. Each will be held accountable for their behavior and actions as a representative of the university.
If you followed Andy Staples from Sports Illustrated last week in his column as he did his bus trip with one of the South Florida teams, there were problems with a few of those athletes as well. Stealing on several campuses and being caught on tape. While all items were ultimately returned to the schools involved, the chances of those young individuals to receive scholarships to a major university became questionable. Even though the names were not reported according to the article, the point was made that coaches talk and those who identified the athletes involved will ultimately talk as well.
If you are a student athlete and have the opportunity to enjoy a free education and great things beyond, learn to be accountable for your actions at an early age. Thanks for a very good article and your strong words. We can only hope that these young athletes will understand your comments, and that the coaches and administrators in charge will do the right thing when it comes to disciplinary actions for bad behavior.
TommyP
July 13th, 2010
8:46 am
“Self…..” That’s what I always begin my sentences with when I speak to myself. LOL
And to see a Florida fan come on here and talk about the discipline they have in Florida? The things some of THEIR players have done and still be allowed to stay on the team is unfathomable. What was it that DT did a few years ago and wasn’t booted?
Bottom line on the players being recruited by Georgia….Florida is recruiting them as well. Bama is listed on their offers sheet, too.
Tony….they’re drinking in Athens. I’d say minimum 75% of the suspensions have been a result of drinking. Short of having athletic dorms again, that will be tough to police.
Think about it…King was suspended for having a beer. A college kid having a beer….
Per the NFL and a few former Gators, Florida has a major drug problem on their team now and the past several years. UT is the new Miami….every one of their arrests involve guns, drugs, resisting arrest and assault.
Think about that….you just compared college kids drinking beer to criminal behavior.
JB
July 13th, 2010
8:49 am
Boy, I miss X’s and O’s, depth charts, an Interview with Grantham, Berlin. Latkos…..News about summer voluntary workouts, is the OL any bigger or stronger, How is Marlon Brown coming around, How much will Richt be involved in the Offense this year, who has matured to a point that they can contribute this year………………I hate this other stuff………….
RxDawg
July 13th, 2010
8:53 am
Ha! Well said Tony. That’s pretty much what went through the mind of every Dawg fan out there. That said, I think the crimes weren’t as bad as the timing of the players.
I really don’t know how to explain it, or what to do about it. I don’t believe that we pick the wrong kinds of kids, at least compared to every other program. I’ve seen a lot of great people and men come out of Mark Richt’s program.
I’m not much of a conspiracist, but part of me wants to believe some of the people on here chiming in about how other schools are better about covering stuff up, or working with the law enforcement to prevent actual arrests. Notice how all of our players are getting arrested for MIP’s, driving with a suspended liscense, and DUI’s (yes, I know DUI’s are pretty bad). Those are mostly minor offenses that would never make the papers for any regular Joe. At least none of those are violent crimes. Well, of course then you have Montez and Mettenberger which crossed into violent offenses. But hey, those two aren’t on the team anymore now are they?
It is sad, and embarassing to alumni. But I refuse to believe that we are some problem program just because a few of the guys like to go downtown and have some drinks. I’ve been there, I’ve been one of those guys. As long as our players appear to be decent, nonviolent people (exluding the grid iron of course) then I’m ok with some extra laps after practice. I won’t jump on my high and mighty “I’m better than you” chair and go to preachin.
Honky Talkin'
July 13th, 2010
8:53 am
It may happen everywhere, but the SEC has a lock on the “thug” athlete. As Mike Bell said yesterday, the big SEC schools are football factories and the only concern is winning, no matter what the cost.
JB
July 13th, 2010
8:54 am
Newspapers in those other SEC cities and towns don’t have the Staff the AJC has…they have a beat writer (one) and he’s doing feel good stories….AJC has a host of “personalities” trying to fill these blogs and get hits…..That is nowhere to be found in other SEC markets….The “beat writer” is over at the Head coach’s mother’s house doing a story on her Homemade Jelly during the off season !
Mikey in SAV
July 13th, 2010
8:54 am
It is not a football problem.
It is a social problem.
It begins at home and for some they had no “home life” to speak of.
No Father, no family dinner conversations, no discipline, etc, etc.
This is simple, but remember…simplicity is complex to arrive at.
JB
July 13th, 2010
8:58 am
Do a story on the OTHER 75 players on the Georgia team following the rules, working hard and behaving ! Don’t forget about them.
Some Sense
July 13th, 2010
8:59 am
Many (most?) college athletic prospects have grown up in homes w/ little structure and character guidance. They learn a lot from their h/s coaches (god, those guys are good in our state), but they didn’t grow up w/ a strong “do right” requirement. Thus, it’s like old people using computers. They don’t know ’cause they didn’t grow up w/ ‘em.
Unfortunately, then, “doin’ bad” is in there, just waiting to come out given the proper set of circumstances. This isn’t gonna change because it can’t change. This is the product of cultures in our society just imbued w/ “doin’ bad”.
Plus I still wanna know what a nice little girl from a prominent Atlanta family was doing with King, Jackson, etc.
observer
July 13th, 2010
9:00 am
Say what you want about “other schools” and how everyone has problems, but if you don’t see that UGA has a bigger problem than anyone else you need to take off your blinders for a few minutes. Georgia has a culture of “thugism”, drinking, law-breaking, and this culture is sustained by very lax discipline meted out by Richt. It also seems pretty clear that they will recruit any kind of character if they think he might help them win.
JWalker
July 13th, 2010
9:02 am
The Derek Dooley lovefest is getting disgusting. I’ve got nothing against the guy, but the media hacks are falling all over themselves to pay homage.
Tony makes it sound like it was all Kiffin’s fault. Dooley was the one that signed D’ Rick Rogers. He had that kid from the beginning. That kid is one strike against Dooley.
Cornholio
July 13th, 2010
9:04 am
Unfortunately, I don’t beleive you can stop college kids from partying. Most of us have been there and done that and understand it is part of the college culture going back before these players today. The only solution is to make them aware of the consequences in writing when the sign the scholarship. College football is a business as much as a game and the players should have to agree to the terms of their scholarship up front. I would go as far as to say pay the atheletes some amount and treat the situation as if they are now an “employee” of the school. Damon Evans apparently drove drunk and got fired. If players are paid and treated as “employees” of the school then they will also be “fired” if they violate the terms that they agreed to when they signed with the university.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
July 13th, 2010
9:04 am
Ok, one thing you can eliminate it the “type of kid” UGA recruits. As was mentioned earlier, every SEC power is recruiting the same kids. UGA has along with every program more than there fair share of knuckle heads. The question is once you realize the SAME ISSUE is repeating itself then the coaching staff has to crack down hard.
One issue is how we rationalize Alcohol related offenses. Yes everyone essentially drinks underage at Athens, but only 85 individuals represent the largest money maker for the university 12 times a year in the Fall. It is apparent that 10% of the season long suspensions is not enough of a deterent or other “In House” punishment.
Steps to take:
1) 1st offense 4 games
2) 2nd offense Season long
3) 3rd Goodbye
4) Include in the 20 hours a week practice time 1/2 every other week devoted to a Session simply called, “Do the Right Thing”.
a) Handling your role w/in UGA as a student athlete
b) Choices today effect your future
These are just a couple of ideas, but it is growing tiresome to see what is going on, not only in Georgia, but across Collegiate sports in general.
JB
July 13th, 2010
9:06 am
observer, you need to take the blinders off. That’s like saying squirrels in Florida and Alabama don’t gather acorns for the winter LOL…… All the players are cut from the same cloth, bars, parties, girls,etc at all of them……i take my hat off to the Athens police…….you’re naive if you think it’s not happening on other campuses……….
athensdawg
July 13th, 2010
9:07 am
the truth of the matter is that as long as UGA keeps winning, all this is just fine.
when this starts happening and we keep going to shreveport….well, that’s a different story.
Interesting how a lot of offensive players have gone astray this year……not so much defense….
Where did we see the changes in the coaching staff????
Might that be a clue????
JB
July 13th, 2010
9:09 am
Bama and Florida have a character clause….. Do tell………Wonder how Spikes passed it….poking eyes and failing the NFL drug test…….oh yea, greatness and character….LOL
Go Home - Do Not Pass the Admissions Office
July 13th, 2010
9:12 am
If you’re in college on a sports scholarship and you are SUSPENDED from playing because of your own bad choices, you LOSE YOUR SCHOLARSHIP immediately. Oh, you mean you can’t pay for college yourself without the scholarship? Well, sorry – you need to leave the campus and go back home. Work at a burger joint, dig ditches, cut lawns, whatever. You do not belong in college with someone else paying your way when you can’t abide by the rules.
unbiased volfan
July 13th, 2010
9:17 am
tony, you ARE a geargia fan.
Dawg Days
July 13th, 2010
9:19 am
Tony,
Good perspective on the problem with a subset of student athletes, and I like the way you identified the problem, offered a solution, and didn’t place blame simply by attacking a coach and throwing them under the bus. Maybe Schultzy should read your column to see what professional journalism is like…
Disciplined, Process-Oriented Dawg
July 13th, 2010
9:19 am
athensdawg,
You bring up an interesting point about the new defensive coaches possibly instilling a new attitude.
I have a theory that the only offensive coach we have that’s worth a d*mn is Searels. Richt, Bobo, Lilly, Ball, and McClendon are all mediocre at best. Just a theory of mine based on my observations over the years.
St. Richt
July 13th, 2010
9:20 am
Tony, “If I were a Georgia fan..???” You lose all credibility in the first sentence before you even get started. Newsflash Tony, you ARE a Georgia fan. There is no need to make this article hypothetical…
Mook
July 13th, 2010
9:22 am
Blah blah blah.
Today’s college athletes can catch or run just a little better than their peers in prison.
71TechEE
July 13th, 2010
9:23 am
@ Tommy P:
You didn’t read the story about King. He had a few beers, then he let an intoxicated person drive his car (in which he was a passenger) and when that intoxicated person hit another car he let him drive away.
There is a whole lot more there than “having a beer”.
Your attitude is part of the problem. Until fans demand better behavior and support coaches and administrators who also demand better behavior at THEIR respective school, nothing will change. And it is only a matter of time until there is a DUI homicide which is a whole new ballgame, idiomatically speaking.
The change starts with the adults and as already stated very well, not everyone who are season ticket holders and supporters are adults.
I’m all for second chances: from where I sit the driver should be gone from the university for a year and King should become a walk-on scout team player for a year, after that we could reconsider. If and when this happens at Tech, I hope Coach Johnson and DRad would agree.
Dan
July 13th, 2010
9:23 am
The athletes need to understand the school and NCAA is bigger than them. Face it, college fans would turn out to watch a turtle race if they were wearing the school colors. Set athletes academics at the same standards of the general population and you will have much less of this
Just thinking
July 13th, 2010
9:26 am
If I’m not mistaken, the legal drinking age in Georgia is 21. Is there not a no-alcohol-ever policy for UGA athletes? If not, why not? Why can’t CMR require his players to sign a pre-nuptial agreement (since this is going to be a marriage between player and school) that while I’m a UGA athlete I pledge that I will not drink or do drugs of any kind at any time? Have the kid sign it, have it legally notarized, and have every coach re-inforce it. The intense expectation a higher integrity might just change the atmosphere and mind-set of every athlete that puts on a UGA uniform. Couldn’t hurt!
Bulldog59
July 13th, 2010
9:27 am
Joel, good question, wondered that myself. Long road ahead for Evans.
IMHO, it is doubtful any large school will touch him for a while, even in a subordinate role. He’ll have to take a major step down in responsibility and title, to a small school most likely.
Charlie Bama
July 13th, 2010
9:27 am
A belated welcome back, Tony. I think the SEC and/or NCAA . . . ok, maybe skip the NCAA for this. Anyway, the SEC needs to establish a more uniform approach to the punishment that’s administered for the most frequent or common behavioral infractions, and probably for a lot really rare infractions as well (like hiding from cops under nearby parked cars? Hello? Are these guys even smarter than a fifth grader?). BTW, the Orange Hillbillies continue to reap what they’ve sown over the past five years, and it couldn’t happen to a more deserving program. Dooley can do nothing but tolerate what he’s been handed. And why on earth does that doofus Orange Hillbilly AD still have his job?!? He should have been fired within nanoseconds of Kiffin’s departure!
Lou
July 13th, 2010
9:29 am
You really don’t here of these problems at schools like Rutgers and Princeton and Boston College (which are all highly rated in their conferences in football) or Brigam Young, etc., because they recruit scholars and then athletes. In the SEC it is opposite, we recruit athletes and then scholars. Get the point?
Jeff
July 13th, 2010
9:30 am
Well said Tony. To the other poster, IMHO Damon will land on his feet. He’ll end up at some sports management firm, potentially a media firm, or something else “behind the scenes”. After a period of penance he may emerge back in college/conference sports but I think it’s a minimum of 5 years and more like a decade given the damage.
59bulldawg
July 13th, 2010
9:31 am
Hey I wanna win as much as the next guy. But these seemingly almost weekly behavior problems by football players at Georgia tells me a lot about their lack of self-discipline and commitment to the program. They should either buy into what Richt expects or they should pack their stuff and go home. I’m tired of the distractions year after year after year. I like Richt but if he doesn’t get control of this, it will be his undoing. He needs to act with a stronger hand . . . perhaps even enact Draconian measures to get their attention. It’s evident to me that a suspension of a mere 1-3 games just has not done the job up to now. Perhaps it’s time to start revoking a few scholarships.
LowerTheDrinkingAge
July 13th, 2010
9:32 am
Most of these problems aren’t problems if we all deal with the reality that college age kids drink, 21 or not. In the last UGA incident, there would have been only one arrest if Elizabeth Dole would have kept her gaping whole shut. The DUI is inexcusable, especially in Athens where you can get a cab 24/7, but to come down hard on a kid for an MIP is crazy. I’d hate to think that I was possibly jeopardizing my career by drinking in college–that’s dumb. We all do stupid stuff–that’s sort of the point of college. I don’t see the point in pretending that these athletes are somehow different just because endow them with scholarships to perform for our pleasure (and in Tony’s case, his livelihood). Plus, doesn’t the NCAA require schools to treat student/athletes just like regular ole students? Regular ole students don’t get their heads knocked off for stuff like this. They deal with the legal consequences–which is pretty rough in the case of a DUI–and get on with their lives…but what the hell do I know? Off with their heads!
Brand Loyalty
July 13th, 2010
9:33 am
If you look at the big picture (20+ years) I would say Damon was only being loyal to the brand not damaging it. So were the 2 guys last week. So were all the “fans” who trash the campus on game day (and get trashed). It’s the UGA “brand” plain and simple.
Not a UGA fan
July 13th, 2010
9:35 am
All of you people crucifying UGA and Richt are absolutely insane. You want them (and their athletes) held to a higher standard than any other school playing BCS-caliber football.
The fact is that Athens and UGA police place a great deal of emphasis on stopping alcohol-related offenses. That comes from the top down in both the city/county government, as well as the university. They spend a great deal of resources on this and take basically a zero-tolerance approach. More so than just about any other college town in America. And the big city schools have bigger issues for their police force to deal with (theft, violence, etc.).
Miles
July 13th, 2010
9:36 am
Let’s not forget that college football players are on athletic scholarships, not academic scholarships. Thus, the criminal element aspect should come as a surprise to noboody, especially you, Mr. Barnhart.
RxDawg
July 13th, 2010
9:38 am
“Just thinking”
Do you really think if those kids sign that paper, that it will deter them from drinking 1 or 2 years later downtown one night? Heck, I’d bet they already sign something like what you describe. If you stick a cat in a room full of mice, eventually the cat is going to have a mouse. Especially if it’s 85 of em.
The “solution” to all of this goes deeper then this blog. Alcohol has always been looked at as a legal entity rather than a health entity in this country. Our towns and roads are built to accomadate people with cars, and are thus very spread out. The mass transit in every town pretty much stinks. Take a look at some of our Europeon counterparts for an example. Madrid has a subway system that looks like the central nervous system, I’ve seen it and it’s impressive. They all have lower drinking age laws and drinking laws in general, yet they all have less problems and alcoholics? These are all things that make me go hmmm.
Charlie Bama
July 13th, 2010
9:38 am
Drinking? Change the age for doing it? Seriously? In this discussion about discipline, that’s like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. Dumb is the pivotal element here. Face up to it, none of the football players recruited for big time programs like the SEC, Big Tin, Big 12(-2) are sought after for their smarts. NONE of them. Many may well be very smart, but that was NOT their foot in the door.
RomeDawg
July 13th, 2010
9:42 am
Beast of the East,
You may be one of the last people that can come on a this blog to make a comment about UGA our “brand” being compromised to win a few games. Brandon Spikes ring a bell. And what was Coach Meyer’s way to handle it? Yes, Coach Meyer was ready to tarnish the Florida Gator brand to win a game. Most college athletes are being arrested for alcohol related crimes. What percentage of other college students are getting drunk in the bars? Mr. Jackson made things much worse by driving and that’s inexcusable but most of these athletes are just doing what other 20 year old college kids are doing.
im4bama
July 13th, 2010
9:48 am
Here’s what you do Tony.. You teach teach their sorry ass a lesson. I believe everybody deserves at least one chance if they do something that’s minor (drinking), but if they have really crossed the line like guys at Tennessee (armed robbery and gang beatings), then you kick their thug asses off of the free ride.
RxDawg
July 13th, 2010
9:51 am
We’ve have slowly striped more and more responsibilites from the teen populations over the years. We continue to raise the driving age, the drinking age, etc. So is it that surprising that “kids” getting to college aren’t as resonsible these days? We keep postponing “growing up” all in the name of self rightousness. Ya know it wasn’t that long ago that 16 year olds were considered very adult. Most were married, owning a house, and starting a career. Society has pushed all of that back, and delayed “growing up”. Maybe it’s time we tear some pages out of all the laws that are layed upon us. It’l never happen because our political system is set up to add laws, not remove them. But this citizen thinks it should.
Villanova alum, ATL resident and college football fan
July 13th, 2010
9:53 am
If anyone wants to criticize Richt for anything, criticize him for not getting control of the local law enforcement the way Meyer has in Gainesville. That seems to be what the people want.
Lewis
July 13th, 2010
9:53 am
Until the big alumni booster groups, the season ticket holders and others who pour the money into the coffers of the football program decide they want a higher standard upheld this will continue to be normal. We are just hearing about the guys who get caught, so one can suspect much more is going on we never hear of but that other students at school see and are aware of. When I went there we all heard or saw how the players behaved, it was no secret how they got away with all sorts of poor behavior. This is big business and that tends to determine what response the school makes. You have coaches and athletic directors making huge sums of money for bringing in huge amounts of money. The choice is between enforcing a higher set of standards or perhaps losing money. Usually standards go by the wayside in such situations.
DirkDawggler
July 13th, 2010
9:56 am
Coach Richt should gather all the players (if he hasn’t done this yet) and proclaim something akin to this: “Gentlemen, I am asking you to NOT drink any alcohol as long as you represent the University of Georgia. If you do, do so at your own peril. If you must, do it within the walls of your own dwelling. But the consequences while you are under scholarship at the University of Georgia if you do anything that embarasses yourself or this institution will be a 6 game suspension if you are caught doing anything illegal regarding alcohol. Second alcohol-related offense will result in dismissal. Period.”
Too harsh? Perhaps. Effective? Don’t know, but that’s the goal, right?
Galleria
July 13th, 2010
9:59 am
Hahaha, “if I’m a Georgia fan…”
GTPHISH
July 13th, 2010
10:00 am
Build an adjunct-jail complex in the athletic dorms
Damon
July 13th, 2010
10:01 am
Misbehaving college athletes are a reflection of the college LEADERSHIP.
By the way, I Luh You Coat-Knee!
Rob
July 13th, 2010
10:02 am
Great article!! High profile athletes sometimes forget where they came from and how they got there. I love it when I see schools and pro teams hold them accountable for their actions even if it costs them in the win/loss column. Integrity, personal responsibility, and setting the right example for our youth should be the most important things.
Concrete Pete
July 13th, 2010
10:06 am
I can tell you this: Football is a rough, mean game. You get 85 18-22 year olds together that can play the game at a high level, and you will have some issues. Hell, you put 85 average college kids together you will have some issues. It’s a fact. EVERY college in the nation has issues. I did a lot of work on college campuses doing various marketing back in the 90’s and early ’00’s and some of the worse behavior I saw was at schools and teams you never heard of. Findlay OH, Cumberland TN, Georgetown College in KY had kids that behaved like they were straight out of the movie “The Program”. Since they were in small towns, law enforcement let them slide as long as they didnt do anything too serious. Assault, theft and rape were apparently not serious enough in these places.
I found the story to be similar with major D-1 schools and programs. Players run wild, and depending on local police integrity and commitment to do their jobs, the players operate under little to no accountability. The University of Alabama is a poster child for players causing mayhem with no recourse. I had a Tuscaloosa police officer actually tell me one night while he was on duty in the major social area for kids that “No one wins if these kids get in trouble. What they bring to this School, state and Bama fans, they deserve to cut loose”. Bama players knew that and took full advantage and I saw more than a few times where players assaulted males and females, damaged property, stole, openly used drugs in public all while law enforcement not only turned a blind eye, but in a few occasions made arrangements for players to get home safely.
West Virginia? Unreal. You ever hear of problems there? Nope. But go there and check it out. Tony, I’m sure you and your reporter brethren know all about the drug dealing, shooting, assaulting and so forth that goes on there. But it never makes news because it would be “bad for business”. You can’t win football games with your star running back or corner back in jail.
TommyJack
July 13th, 2010
10:12 am
Good piece, TB.
GT Fan ...
July 13th, 2010
10:13 am
“It’s easy for me to write this. My professional future is not resting on the behavior of an 18-year-old kid whose ego was so pumped up during the recruiting process that he thinks the rules don’t apply to him.”
Great point TB! But I believe for most of the bad apples the pumping-of-the-ego/rules-don’t-apply starts well before the recruiting process.
And GA fans, while it hasn’t been the most pleasant road (7 arrests in 2010), can breathe a small sigh of relief that Da’Rick didn’t sign with the dogs. B/c after reading the article about his arrest, trouble surely would’ve found Da’Rick in Athens too; his character/integrity were exposed in his signing with UT.
jackyldo
July 13th, 2010
10:13 am
Many of these kids think they are great having no idea what the jump is from Norcross High to the New Orleans Saints.. They see the few that make the show and are sure they’ll be the next big thing.
College is a stop for them play sports and play.. Some get an academic pass because of who they are. Basketball players (precious few) jump to the NBA after 1 year to Millions of dollars. They are so close they can taste it.
BUT they are 17-18-19 years old — not every kid going off to college drinks, but a majority do, some for the 1st time.. They can go to Iraq and die, they can vote for their President,, but legally they can’t drink until 21.. This is a major problem at all Universities “”under age drinking” Suddenly on a magic day the can imbibe …to their hearts content.
Lower the drinking age to 18 and treat all college kids like adults.. You drink – you drive – you lose.. There are ways to socialize in Athens and walk to your dorms – taxi to your apartment you drive you lose.. Public intoxication – you lose A code which teaches responsibility for your actions.. to all students.
1st offense probation within the University and 25% of your Athletic season (not just football).
2nd offense suspension from the University for 1 academic quarter.. your coming here primarily to learn not to go to class and get drunk every night .. Academic suspension means no sports.
Teach responsibility..
SecGuy
July 13th, 2010
10:16 am
Actually, I think the jury is still out on Dooley at Tennessee. Any coach would have kicked Myles off the team, he’s an habitual screw-up. How long will the others be suspended will be telling. And why no word on Rogers yet? Richt and Georgia seemingly go through this every summer. You can’t watch players all the time, so the team itself must assume some responsibility. Seniors, or some faction of the team need to set the tone and provide leadership. Leadership is the mark of the best teams, both on and off the field.
Sven Ottke
July 13th, 2010
10:21 am
Tony, there’s no mistake. You are a Georgia fan and it’s fairly obvious. Your coach is all bark and no bite. He talks a big game but in the end does basically nothing. If he wanted to send a message, he would. After about the 5th Drivers License incident, he said he was going to do things
“you don’t even want to know” to stop this issue. 4 more DL incidents later…………nothing. Discipline is a joke in Athens……..because the tail wags the dog there.
Gen Neyland
July 13th, 2010
10:24 am
LowerTheDrinkingAge : When I was 18, the legal age was 18. In part, you could thank Vietnam and the draft for the benefit to drink legal at 18. BTW, I took full advantage of the law and probably shouldn’t have although I never ended or began a day in lockup. Cops use to simply confiscate alcohol from the underage and made ‘em drive/go home if they appeared capable of doing so on their own. Ditto on pot. The world of Zero Tolerance has changed the game….
RxDawg : Maybe the younger folk in European countries mature mentally a bit faster than some of our American bred youth. What we’re zeroing in on here is the damage caused by under-age consumption which needs to be addressed, no doubt, although over my years of following college sports, it seems many criminal and law breaking acts committed by college athletes are done while they’re sober, too. Thankfully, as you’ve mentioned prior, the majority are good apples…
ugaclassof2004
July 13th, 2010
10:29 am
What do we do about athletes behaving badly?
1. Everyone needs to quit acting so shocked. This has only be going on in sports for oh…I don’t know… the last 100 years!
2. We as fans need to quit being so self righteous. We wine and dine recruits when they visit on recruiting trips. Boosters buy the players Play Stations when they win bowl games. And we buy these guys drinks and get them laid when they win games for us. Yet we act shocked when they act up? Have ya’ll seen the gold grills, dread locks, and tribal armband tatto’s these players have been sportin lately? These are some rough dudes man.
3. It’s Athens GA. Have any of you ever gone downtown for a night of fun? Boy I know I have! It’s one of the best college towns in the nation! Now multiply that x 10, and you’ll know what it feels like to be a Bulldog football player. Athletes are just like anyone else: some can hold the fame and liqor and some can’t. I’ve personally partied with Verron Haynes after he came back from scoring the winning TD in Knoxville, and the amount of arse that guy had around him that night was Hugh Heffner like!! I’ve also partied with Fred Gibson and Danny Ware, and both of those guys were stand up folks not to mention the women that were with them were drop dead gorgeous! I say let these guys blow off a little bit of steam. It’s what college is all about. Quit making a mountain out of a mole hill.
Vdawg
July 13th, 2010
10:32 am
A good read on the subject:
http://theladysportswriter.blogspot.com/2010/07/recent-uga-arrests-highlight-broader.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FlTvow+%28The+Lady+Sportswriter%29
Nesbitt for Heisman
July 13th, 2010
10:33 am
Well said,
.
……………. MR. COLLEGE FOOTBALL
………………………… with Tony Barnhart
Bill King is a.................
July 13th, 2010
10:33 am
Recruit the Terry Hoage’s of the world!!! Leave these thugs home. They dont deserve to be in Athens. I’ll take an overachieving Terry Hoage over Dontavious Jackson and Odell Thurman anyday of hte week.
ugaclassof2004
July 13th, 2010
10:37 am
Bill King is a…..
“Leave these thugs home.”
Yeah well if you that then you won’t have a football team, so….
UGA = We RUIN This State
July 13th, 2010
10:38 am
As UGA reaps(recruits), so do they sow.
Charlie Bama
July 13th, 2010
10:39 am
Hey, Concrete Pete — Sounds like sour grapes to me. Alabama the poster child for players who escape punishment for crimes? Funny, very funny. The bigger the program, the more scrutiny they get, whether from the NCAA, the media, or the public. What or whoever your team is can be a poster child, too –provided they’re very good nationally at something. If they’re basement dwellers, the sins are there but nobody cares. See?
rogeriter
July 13th, 2010
10:43 am
The sad part is that if a coach is strong enough to kick them off the team for their behavior, another school will be salivating to accept them–behavior and all! The problem isn’t just with the students! Maybe there should be a rule that if a scholarship player is kicked off the team for disciplinary reasons, another school can not offer them a scholorship. They can play for another school but not under a scholarship!
Tide Rising
July 13th, 2010
10:48 am
People, including 18 year olds, live up to or down to the expectations that are set for them.
The reason we’ve only had one player arrested in the past year at Bama is a simple matter of expectations. Saban doesn’t wait till players get arrested to boot them. He starts booting the early troublemakers when they start breaking team rules. Took him a good year and a half to change the culture at Bama(7 arrests his first year) but he did. And now the players have the fear of God in them that if they do something wrong they’re gone.
Until you have that real fear of consequence nothing will change in Athens or Knoxville. The problem at each of those places right now is that the players have either no respect or no fear of their coaches and of consequences for their actions. Start booting them for the smaller stuff like breaking team rules and things will get cleaned up double time.
GATORZONE
July 13th, 2010
10:49 am
People living in glass houses…
Therefore I will not disparage another program.
However, it really gripes me that the players know if they get kicked off of one team, they can simply transfer to a different school and someone will take them. If the NCAA would put a stop to this, these guys would fly straight, or go home for good. Prime example is Cameron Newton. He knew when he left Florida, that he could go somewhere else and play. there are not any consequences for bad behavior.
Hoopie
July 13th, 2010
10:49 am
The solution for the coaches is to closely monitor these kids. OTHER schools do that and RIcht doesn’t. Last summer Auburn kicked 3 kids off the team for sassing a teacher. Since then, hardly a problem.
A good friend of my daughter’s played OL at UGA and passed out drunk and on the toilet in a bar bathroom ….TWICE!!! He got a one game suspension each time.
$aban had troubles his first year at Bama until he threw the unruly seniors under the bus when the pros came calling for evaluations. $aban then set standards, got rid of a couple more kids and now he doesn’t have problems.
RIcht is wrong to think that these kids can self-police and be lead out of the wilderness. These type athletes need military-type discipline or they will fund a way to fail.
UGA Degree in Criminal Justice
July 13th, 2010
10:50 am
Next thing you know, UGA is going to being wasting more taxpayer money ny offering some new “joke” degree in Criminal Justice or something with which to continue to recruit non-qualified student-athletes through the Special Admissions program to earn more revenue for privately-held corporation known as the UGA Athletic Association.
Oops, my bad. They ALREADY offer a Criminal Justice degree now.
Well then, should we then consider all of the student-athlete
law-breaking is considered as Degreee requirement, or at least an “elective” course??
RxDawg
July 13th, 2010
10:51 am
Concrete Pete, that’s a good post. It’s all very speculative, but it makes a lot sense quite frankly. I’m not dismissing whats going on at UGA, but I’m not so naive to think that what your describing isn’t going on at some institutions.
wth
July 13th, 2010
10:51 am
nothing knew here
GATORZONE
July 13th, 2010
10:52 am
Tide rising, I would be surprised if Alabama does not have the same issues as EVERYONE else in the SEC outside of Vandy. I wouldn’t be bragging too much, it usually comes back to bite you!
RxDawg
July 13th, 2010
10:53 am
GATORZONE
July 13th, 2010
10:49 am
…that’s a great point.
GATORZONE
July 13th, 2010
10:53 am
Hoopie, how about that Theif Cameron Newton that Auburn welcomed with open arms???
Dbalcer
July 13th, 2010
10:55 am
The problem is bigger than student athletes it is a symptom of the way our kids are growing up. Underage drinking is a big problem. If we kicked out all students or had them lose their scholarship for drinking there would be many good kids who didn’t get the chance to finish their educations. We as a society need to change our attitudes about drinking so that they match what we do. We say we are against under age drinking but glorify getting drunk in our movies and v shows. Those kids need mentors to show them how to handle the peer pressure and adulation they receive at school. Most of these infractions happen in the summer when the coaches have to be hands off. They need the guidance of coaches year round.
RxDawg
July 13th, 2010
10:56 am
Tide Rising and Hoopie, maybe you guys are right. Maybe it’s time to bring the foot down hard. But this get’s back to what Tony said in that our career’s don’t rest on what a bunch of 18-21 year olds do. That said, I wouldn’t object if Richt went that way and I’ve even consider it during the season if the losses start piling up.
GATORZONE
July 13th, 2010
10:57 am
Or, Ole Miss signing Jamar Hornsby? No consequences. These guys are coddled and made exceptions for from middle school on.
HugoStiglitz
July 13th, 2010
10:59 am
Im with you GATORZONE, the NCAA needs to do something about it themselves. If they can enforce student athletes to pass classes then surely they can enforce them to not get arrested. If the NCAA enforced a mandatory dismissal from the team for a DUI then maybe they wont drive drunk after that. Coaches across the country have already shown a lack of interest in serious discipline so somebody else has to do it.
GATORZONE
July 13th, 2010
11:00 am
RX, all teams have the troublemakers and most coaches give them several chances. The only difference is how it is reported when they finally do something that requires them to be kicked off of the team. Richt has a fine approach, Athens just tends to get major coverage of issues via the AJC.
Gainesville news stays fairly local unless the infraction is major. Carlos Dunlap was huge.
Frankie Hammond Jr. got a DUI this summer and no one even heard about that.
Small town coverage.
MegaT
July 13th, 2010
11:00 am
Great perspective Tony! Amber Harding said it best when she said “there most certainly is an “I” in “team”. It is the same “I” that appears 3 times in “responsibility”. This issue rips at the heart of all college football fans. As a UT fan, I am both angered and embarassed. I’m really tired of these “bad apples” spoiling the good character guys that are at and have come through UT. If this is the way that we have to win, I don’t want it anymore. Enough is enough!
RxDawg
July 13th, 2010
11:00 am
“Most of these infractions happen in the summer when the coaches have to be hands off. They need the guidance of coaches year round”
This
Teflon-WrecksNEffect
July 13th, 2010
11:01 am
You comments about the other Tenn. HC serving 2-yrs. Probation on the West Coast is confusing and somewhat unfair.
As unorthodox as Kiffin is, the Probation is the result of what happened under another Administration.
Also, the harsh truth is that if a player’s Parents start shopping around looking for “extras” if their son is as talented as Reggie Bush is, then it is really hard to hold any coaching staff or School accountable when the parents get the benefits and are central in cutting the deals with outside parties.
GATORZONE
July 13th, 2010
11:03 am
RxDawg
July 13th, 2010
11:00 am
Very true.
Phil
July 13th, 2010
11:03 am
These players really DO need to think about the LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES of their actions absolutely right, the NFL will do a massive character check, as will any future employer, and all those dumb decisions will live on forever, and potentially cost people millions, destroy families, get good coaches fired, and so much more. Right on about the “entitlement” mentality as a big part of the problem. Yes, these guys are great athletes, but that doesn’t earn them exemptions or privleges from a moral standpoint.
If anything, a massive gratitude for the unreal opportunity, should RAISE their level of conduct.
RxDawg
July 13th, 2010
11:07 am
Hugo “Coaches across the country have already shown a lack of interest in serious discipline so somebody else has to do it.”
I wouldn’t go that far, coaches do step in many times. However, there is a serious conflict of intrest in it. Maybe it’s time to have an outside enforcement as some say.
Good point again GATORZONE about the reporting and coverage. However, the coverage about D Jackson’s DUI has more to do with his timing than anything. The fact that it came within a week of Damon Evan’s DUI and the next night after the fiasco at UT made this story bigger than it is.
GATORZONE
July 13th, 2010
11:12 am
Yep, part of the consequences for having premier programs. You get players that don’t always have the same values or mores or discipline as most of the fanbase.
GATORZONE
July 13th, 2010
11:13 am
I’ll take at risk atheletes that have to be disciplined to keep the quality of play in the SEC. We could have the boring BIG 10, but they still have issues as well.
Atlantan
July 13th, 2010
11:17 am
One or two soundly kicked off the team would set the example for the rest. Mark Richt’s judgment has been frankly very poor when it comes to disciplining his players. Every year it is another 7 getting arrested and it has made Uga football the laughingstock of college football.
59bulldawg
July 13th, 2010
11:23 am
Why did we ever move away from Athletic Dorms? When I was in school, all male athletes lived in McWhorter. Why the change? Perhaps we need to go back to housing athletes [i.e. at least the football team] together in separate dorms if that would make it easier to keep tabs on them. It seems that we have had more problems with football players under Richt’s tenure than I ever remember under Dooley, Goff, and Donnan combined. If someone wants to research it I’d love to know.
DaaaaaaaaaaaRick
July 13th, 2010
11:28 am
TB,
I rarely agree with you but you are right on target with this one. When athletes think they are BIGGER than the program they tend to do stupid things. I’m curious about their upbringing – did these players have 2 parent families and receive a large dose of humility – probably not.
jdawg
July 13th, 2010
11:29 am
I know one of these athletes personally…Yes, great high school career and no problems. How should coaches recruit a better person? Do not have the answer. It is sort of like middle school players that do not play high school. They do not want to pay the price and find other intersts. I challenge some that think they can do a better job. Background checks, tests, you name it. Things change as they get older. You just have to do the best job that you can…jdawg
RxDawg
July 13th, 2010
11:30 am
why is the word ri di cu lous banned from blogging? That is just….well ri di cu lous.
Urban Bear
July 13th, 2010
11:31 am
the only thing missing in athens that Bamer and Gaytors have; Gaytors are in a state where anything goes and they have a longer runway at the airport. And Bamer has an effective “duelling grounds” where players are held captive inside a zip code where anything goes. Let the big dawgs eat
Typical Dawg Speak
July 13th, 2010
11:40 am
I’ve got one word for you Tony- Enviroment! And I’m speaking of the enviroment in which they were raised. Some of these recruits come here with one foot in the prison door. While I would love to see us recruit the type of guy who cares about academics and spends Saturday evenings at F.C.A. gatherings instead of bar hopping, that isn’t always going to happen. I believe there are more good than bad but consider this. Great athelete and well behaved intelligent young man are not synonomus. It’s quite the contrary and we must get used to that fact. Lets not blame coaching and leadership for the atheletes undisciplned ways, misbehavior and violation of rules. Although not impossible, it’s extremely difficult to get past your raising. After all, the problems and issues we are now discussing are occuring miles away from the stadium and the watchful and caring eyes of their coaches.
OaktownGator
July 13th, 2010
11:43 am
Tony’s article was spot on.
Urban Bear – trying to deflect at other teams doesn’t do your program any good. Neither does juvenile name calling. But you go ahead and do what fits you best.
Joe
July 13th, 2010
11:45 am
“As a Gator, I have enjoyed our run the last 20 years. But I would never want our “brand” to be compromised just for the sake of winning a few ballgames. I’m not saying that the administrators or coaches at UGA do either, but a large portion of their fans could care less it seems. They continue to want to deflect blame, finger-point and downgrade the severity of the infractions. That’s the whole problem….no accountability.”
As a gator, you really do need to shut up. A Gayturd is the last person that needs to be lecturing anyone. The list of Gator players that have been arrested in the last 10 years is staggering, and at least UGA players are not shooting off weapons and trying to use a dead girl’s stolen credit card.
Retired Coach
July 13th, 2010
11:46 am
How much can you change the behavior of someone who is 18 years old? These athletes were always physically more gifted than their peers, they are used to being treated as special just because they could help their teams to win. Many of their coaches in little leagues were not inclined to try to be a strong disciplinarian because of wanting to win, community pressure, pressure from parents, etc. This same type of behavior was reinforced as the individual continued through high school. They were learning that they could get by with behaviors that would get a person with lesser physical ability into trouble. I have seen too many coaches, under pressure they put on themselves or pressure from the community, that have , in my opinion, hurt talented athletes by not taking a very strong approach to discipline. Then you add all the recruiting services hype and you have an individual that believes that they can continue doing things that they have gotten by with all their life. Except that the actions become larger as they get older. They have never learned that “actions have consequences.” So people that are trying to put all the responsibility for the college athlete on the shoulder of his or her coach should realize that change is going to have to occur earlier in the life of that person. Change the culture.
JoeHK
July 13th, 2010
11:51 am
This is another example of how people who have no social skills and responsibility shouldn’t be on a college campus. These two guys wouldn’t have gotten within a mile of the UGA campus had it not been for their football skills. They were bums back home and they’re bums now in Athens.
The Ghost of Wally Butts
July 13th, 2010
11:55 am
Bravo, Mr. College Footbal, Bravo. That’s the most plain speaking truth I’ve heard since Harry S. Truman.
Sadly, it looks like Richt, for all of his attributes, is no longer respected nor feared by any athlete. Perhaps if Leeburn would allow his employee Adams to step in and suspend the head coach, the position coach and the team captains – in addition to the thug player who messes up – maybe then the message would get through some thick skulls. Maybe.
TheBigGuy
July 13th, 2010
12:01 pm
Tony…you nailed this one. These kids need to live by one simple motto…”Do Right”
Ed
July 13th, 2010
12:04 pm
Remember its COLLEGE football. I don’t want the “show me the money” thugs on my team. Maybe if the NCAA enforced academic standards for student athletes it would do away with a lot of the problems we see. Who cares if the skill level drops off a little as long as all colleges are recruiting a true STUDENT athlete. Let the pro prospects take another route if that’s all they’re interested in.
Polobert
July 13th, 2010
12:09 pm
Amen to that Tony. Never really thought I’d see Big Ben in the same sentence with Vick and Pacman but it is well earned. IMO, there is not enough emphasis put on the STUDENT part of student/athlete. However, as it was said in the movie ‘The Program’, “… when was the last time 60,000 people showed up to an academic decathlon”
carrie nation
July 13th, 2010
12:14 pm
First you folks that think it should be okay for these players to have a beer need to check the law. That is what got them in trouble, except for the one driving, was they were underage, get it. Second, why did we not read the names of the other two that were arrested. Not football players just regular students. According to a survey done a few years ago the percentage of football players that get in trouble is about the same as the general population of a college. The press just tells us about the ‘players’. Why don’t y’all list everyone the police haul in for underage drinking or drunken driving and soon no one will care and you will find something else to write about.
Athens Mike
July 13th, 2010
12:16 pm
While I agree that UGA has had a string of bad luck lately, I don’t think that UGA is that much worse than most places. I think a big issue here also is whether or not the college athletes should be treated as public figures in the media. I think DUIs deserve to be reported on, but the thing a couple of weeks ago with Jordan Love and a miscommunication with officers should not be on the same level with what King and Jackson did.
There is a big difference between getting busted for underage drinking and a DUI. Report the DUI’s, but don’t make a minor in possession charge into a career ending issue for the athlete. Suspend him and move on. If it continues, take it further.
Plus, all of this talk about Bama cleaning up, or Florida being immune or any other place not being as bad as UGA, that may be true now, but give it a few years and somone else will be the perpetrator. Miami, FSU, USC, Tennessee, Oregon. This is not just a UGA problem.
SEC lunchtime links: Gators defriended? | Hog Country Online
July 13th, 2010
12:23 pm
[...] Tony Barnhart takes a look at how to deal with football players behaving badly. [...]
G8R GRAD
July 13th, 2010
12:32 pm
“Plus I still wanna know what a nice little girl from a prominent Atlanta family was doing with King, Jackson, etc.”
Help me out here, guys.
Who was she?
SEC lunchtime links: Gators defriended? | SportsTalk South
July 13th, 2010
12:42 pm
[...] Tony Barnhart takes a look at how to deal with football players behaving badly. [...]
Tom
July 13th, 2010
12:44 pm
Always a good sign when Paul Finebaum writes another “hotseat” article on Mark Richt. Wow, Paul F is scared to death of Georgia and Mark Richt. He’s trying everything he can to get Richt fired to make life easier on the Alabama teams Richt has a 7-1 record against lately.
Richt against Alabama 3-1
Richt against Auburn 4-0
Richt’s finished in the top 10, 19 out of the last 24 seasons and has NEVER had 2 bad season in a row, in 2 dozen years of coaching.
Now we see why Alabama based Paul F writes so much sensational articles about Richt. 7-1, 19 top 10 finishes, you’d be writing them too.
poopdawg
July 13th, 2010
12:54 pm
Tom your right , its amazing the fear rival program’s fans have of Richt. GO DAWGS!
Gt4ever
July 13th, 2010
1:00 pm
Retired Coach,
Change MUST come from the leader, that’s the HEAD coach! Period, It really doesn’t matter when these kids get a dose of discipline, middle school, high school, or college, the bottom line is that it has to come from your leader…. I have said and I will continue to say that Coach Richt, a very respected man, a good man, is NO leader. He has little or NO discipline installed at UGA, it was the same at FSU, he just wasn’t the head coach… This trend will continue as long as you let it….. UGA football will continue to be the laughing stock of the country! Well the southeast, nobody outside the southeast really cares about UGA….
Roll Tide
July 13th, 2010
1:05 pm
Discipline lacks at a lot of these Universities, especially within the SEC. Nick Saban kicked off 10 players his first year for being involved in an act that required police assistance. Since then he has only dismissed one player and that was because he failed to attend class everyday. I know Alabama has a little more depth than most teams right now but if other coaches including CMR would take the same stance and stop giving kids a second chance to prove to you that they will do it again less Universities will have these issues. These schools are pouring in anywhere from 10K-40K a year on one player to go to school and play football you would think they could keep it together for 4 years.
Reptillicide
July 13th, 2010
1:07 pm
Tony,
exactly what do you mean “IF you’re a Georgia fan?” I wasn’t aware you had gone turncoat on us. Are you now a Tennessee fan? Sounds like it.
Tide Rising
July 13th, 2010
1:09 pm
GATORZONE
July 13th, 2010
10:52 am
Tide rising, I would be surprised if Alabama does not have the same issues as EVERYONE else in the SEC outside of Vandy. I wouldn’t be bragging too much, it usually comes back to bite you!
Gatorzone,
Not bragging. Just pointing out the obvious. That Saban runs a harsh, disciplinarian program and that it keeps our players out of the headlines for the most part. Our players have the fear of God in em that they will be asked to transfer just for breaking team rules. We all will have bad apples. Its impossible to avoid them. The question is to what scale and degree are you having all sorts ofissues with player discipline. And in that regard UGA and UT seem to be having the most problems.
In Athens
July 13th, 2010
1:13 pm
Gatorzone,
About the most honest opinions posted. Thanks. However, rewading posts frrom Tide fans – VERY short memories and now throw way too many stones.
SEC lunchtime links: Gators defriended? | Rebel Country Online
July 13th, 2010
1:27 pm
[...] Tony Barnhart takes a look at how to deal with football players behaving badly. [...]
LOL at Delusional Dawgs
July 13th, 2010
1:33 pm
So, Finebaum is Bama’s mouthpiece.
Then Barnhart is UGA’s mouthpiece.
BTW, Saban and Meyer have accomplished MORE in the past 2-3 Years
than Richt has in 10+ years.
Just so we’re using FACTS here.
Agreed
July 13th, 2010
1:34 pm
Enter your comments here
SEC lunchtime links: Gators defriended? | GameDay Weekly
July 13th, 2010
1:35 pm
[...] Tony Barnhart takes a look at how to deal with football players behaving badly. [...]
collegeballfan
July 13th, 2010
1:38 pm
Nice article Tony. I basically agree with your thinking.
I would take it maybe one step farther. All potential recruits get a copy of a set of rules that state in big bold letters that if you break any of these rules you are immediately sent to the scout team for 365 days.
Concrete Pete
July 13th, 2010
1:38 pm
To Charlie Bama, you blindly defend Bama, but obviously don’t visit the campus bars often. If you did, you would see first hand what I’m talking about. Just don’t take your wife/girlfriend/daughter whichever is applicable. If a player offends/grabs/assaults her and then kicks the crap out of you when you try and defend her, good luck with the Tuscaloosa PD helping you.
Tom
July 13th, 2010
2:01 pm
Interesting how Paul Finebaum doesn’t go after Saban as hard as Richt. The bias is noticed by all.
If you kick a wall hard enough, you’ll break your own leg.
GATORZONE
July 13th, 2010
2:07 pm
Well, Tide Rising I had no idea that Saban was such a Moral Authority! congratulations with that. Keep thinking he walks on water and can do no wrong. Bama has as many problems as anyone else. Remember the whole book selling situation? Perhaps not this year, but it is inevetable that these 18-22 year olds will screw up. Saban being a disciplinarian or not…
GATORZONE
July 13th, 2010
2:11 pm
Rammer Jammer, we just beat the hell out of you!!!
How self righteous of BAMA fans to act as if they run a perfect program. GET REAL!
DP
July 13th, 2010
2:22 pm
Tony, I was with you until you threw a Dawg Bone to the delusional fans who think the only reason UGA has more players arrested than most schools is because the police on other campuses look the other way or hand the players they pick up over to the coaches. There is not a shred of evidence to support this. Aren’t you supposed to be a journalist? Where was Mettenberger picked up? How about Damon Evans? The most recent arrest was only picked up because he sped past an officer on a traffic stop and didn’t pull into the lane away from the stop as the law requires.
As Georgia has had more players getting in trouble off the field the last couple of years, they’ve also had less disciplined teams on the field. Do you think there might be some connection?
Tide Rising
July 13th, 2010
2:40 pm
Gatorzone,
I never said Saban is a moral authority or that he walks on water. He doesn’t. My single point is that he’s a harsh disciplinarian, the players have the fear of God in them if they get out of line, and that’s why we currently having fewer discipline problems. What other coach will ask players to transfer not for getting arrested but for simply breaking team rules? Its like the broken window theory. Fix the small problems immediately, set expectations, and you’ll avoid bigger headaches down the line.
As for our players sellng books you are dead wrong. Of the 5 football players who were getting extra textbooks they were helping out friends/girlfriends. They weren’t selling books to make money and that point was thoroughly investigated by the SEC and NCAA. Also, the books were returned to the bookstore at the end of the term. Hard to sell a book that you have to return at the end of the term.
Last, as I said we will eventually get a player or 2 arrested again. Its inevitable. But as I pointed out its the sheer scale of what’s going on at UGA and UT that is different from other programs like Bama, AU(dare I say), and LSU where you never seem to hear of their players consistently getting in trouble.
Tide Rising
July 13th, 2010
2:47 pm
Tom,
Finebaum is a UT grad and has only recently jumped on the Bama bandwagon for the simple reason that we’ve been winning. For years he was reviled by Bama fans because he was always beating down the program. He’s a flamethrower, a rabblerouser, and just stirs stuff up to get people talking. But he is not a bona fide Bama fan. Never has been.
I suspect that he is beating on Richt for the reason that Richt is a target with all the hot seat speculation mostly done by fans of other programs of course. If Bama were to suddenly drop 3-4 games this year you can bet he’ld be all over Saban’s arse and be touting Chizik at AU. Plus Finebaum is also an unabashed Stever Spurrier fan and we all know Spurrier has always loved to rile dawg fans.
But to say Finebaum is an Alabama fan is to not understand what this guy is really all about. He is anything but an Alabama fan.
uga fan
July 13th, 2010
2:50 pm
saban oversigns so he is looking for someone to kick off. his players know they had better work extra hard and stay out of trouble or they will be the one that has to go. it is a tuff strategy but it works.
Dave
July 13th, 2010
2:59 pm
I kind of wish the NCAA would make it a rule where if an athlete goes into police custody from a bar and they are underage they have to give a blood test to the police otherwise it is an automatic suspension. When they have alcohol in their blood they get suspensions. Hopefully what this might do is at the first sign of a disturbance in a bar you would have football players run for the exit knowing it might be like an illegal alien round up where an ICE raid is coming down. I want these guys afraid to be in bars rather than like a vigilante gangs deputized to dispense justice as they see fit which was happened at TN.
We all know enforcement of underage drinking by college kids is an absolute farce. It is kind of viewed like the speed limit where people think they can go 10 miles over the speed limit with no problem. I wish the laws were like it was when I was a kid in SC many years ago. At 18 you could drink 3.2 beer and wine and needed to be 21 to drink booze. This might discourage binge drinking or getting hammered in the dorm before going drinking at the bars later because it is cheaper that way.
Gen Neyland
July 13th, 2010
3:02 pm
Tide Rising :
“The question is to what scale and degree are you having all sorts ofissues with player discipline. And in that regard UGA and UT seem to be having the most problems.”…
The flaw in your assessment is that CMR has had years. CDD has had months. Saban didn’t gain instant control at Alabama but to his credit, he got the word out as it became warranted. I’d give CDD a chance before lumping his yet-to-be-seen policies in with those that have near tenure at another university.
delusional dawgs
July 13th, 2010
3:10 pm
“we’re just in a fishbowl, unlike everyone else who hide their issues”.
LTC Phil
July 13th, 2010
3:36 pm
There is a correlation between bad behavior of scholarship athletes and admission standards. For instance, Mike Adams personally admitted Tony Cole to UGA. Cole had been kicked out of a number of schools and there was nothing in his past that indicated UGA would be any different. Even Harrick did not want him. If universities collectively held scholarship athletes to the same admission standards as regular students, most of these criminal events would disappear. I would like to see the academic records of the scholarship thugs that kicked and stomped the off-duty policeman. Richt demonstrates a great disparity in his discipline policy. Danell Ellerbe probably holds the record for separate charges in a single rampage. He was released on $20,000 bond, and Richt suspended him for two games. The better the player, the lighter the punishment. Odell Thurman also got a two-game suspension. Until Adams and Richt clean up their act, expect more of the same, if not worse.
McDawg
July 13th, 2010
3:40 pm
Drinking and driving is a big deal underage consumption on a college campus is NOT a big deal
Tide Rising
July 13th, 2010
3:41 pm
General Neyland,
I agree totally. The situation at UT is similar to when Saban came to Bama. It was the culture at Bama of players doing whatever the hell they wanted to do with no fear of consequences that Saban had to change. And it sure as hell didn’t happen overnight. 7 arrests in Saban’s first year and a total of 10 players he had to boot off the team the first year or so due to arrests, breaking team rules, etc.
Its not Dooley’s fault he walked into a culture at UT similar to what Saban walked into at Bama. Like Saban at bama it will get worse before it gets better and it’ll probably take Dooley a year or more to firmly change the culture. If he’s the Saban type disciplinarian that people are saying he his since he worked under Saban several years then given time he will get things under control.
KA-POWWW
July 13th, 2010
3:46 pm
OK Tony, LTC Phil has just “stepped on your face with a hobnail boot.”
Lets see if a homer like you can answer.
I doubt it.
Hard to defend the indefensible.
GStateBen
July 13th, 2010
3:48 pm
From Georgia State Coach Bill Curry’s Twitter Page: “Team Discipline is the main job of the head coach. Some decisions are painful when players cannot or will not, do the essential things!”
Georgia State has had players on campus in the city of Atlanta for 5 consecutive semesters and not one player has been arrested. It says something when your HC is a man of integrity and let’s them know foolishness will not be tolerated.
SiCkOfThIs
July 13th, 2010
4:05 pm
Starts at home ladies and gentlemen. The school doesn’t have to babysit your kid if he’s brought up correctly. “You can take the rat out of the hood but you cant take the hood out of the rat”
gdawginkalamazoo
July 13th, 2010
4:05 pm
GATORZONE, good point. If the NCAA would consider these kids banned from all further athletic participation at any level when they are booted from one program I think that would be a big step to alter these kids behavior.
Ron Mexico
July 13th, 2010
4:13 pm
1 – most of the “student athletes” at UGA have probably never heard of Damon Evans, let alone know about his indiscretions.
2 – It’s easy to talk about taking the high road with “student athletes”, but when you’re behind the desk and *it is* your paycheck depending on the star running back vs the 2nd stringer, it’s a lot harder to take the hard line. Credit to those who do…
gdawginkalamazoo
July 13th, 2010
4:15 pm
How about docking Coach Richt’s paycheck 5 grand a pop for arrest? I would think he would figure out some way to put the fear of God into these kids about doing something stupid. I have long been an advocate that the whole team needs to run their arses off when a team mat breaks the rules. Peer pressure would solve a lot problems and make these kids think.
Ted Striker
July 13th, 2010
4:21 pm
Well said. However, here’s why athletes mess up. They’re just like anyone else. People — as a rule — don’t learn from the mistakes of others. They learn from their own mistakes. Damon Evans’ situation taught Damon Evans something. It didn’t teach anyone else in the world anything.
Paddy
July 13th, 2010
4:25 pm
Joel…..I don’t believe Evans will be welcome at any institution of higher learning, big or small. Presidents can’t risk the flow of dollars into their system. Evans would be a hugh risk and he will not be in college sports IMHO. HE IS TOAST AS AN ADMINISTRATOR.
Tom
July 13th, 2010
4:33 pm
Anyone want to put some recent links to ALL the negative recent articles where Paul Finebaum rips Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide–I must have missed all of em’.
dagnabit
July 13th, 2010
4:33 pm
I honestly turned my computer this morning expecting to see a headline about Jawja football players being pulled over for a DUI. Course, the day isn’t over yet.
jj
July 13th, 2010
4:39 pm
I for once mostly agree with you Tony. Now, everybody stop bashing when other teams make mistakes. Be it, USC, Bama, UF, UGA or whomever, stop pointing fingers. I dont care if its taking money from boosters, agents, dui, fights or whatever…no team is free from any of that stuff!
Tom
July 13th, 2010
4:43 pm
Paul Finebaum is in love with all things Alabama. He’s a flat out biased journalist. He’s known for taking shots at everybody (except Nick Saban–odd?)
Of course he despises Richt, who’s like 8-0 against Alabama & Auburn. He’s not worried about Meyer beating the state teams, Meyer can’t beat Auburn, and raraly beats Alabama.
Wonder how long Paul Finebaum would last in the state of Alabama if he fired off 5 negative articles in a row ripping Nick Saban?
Why should Saban be “off limits” for Paul Finebaum–doesn’t really fit his guns barred style to avoid taking shots at a coach.
http://www.sbnation.com/2010/4/12/1418029/alabama-spring-game-paul-finebaum
DP
July 13th, 2010
5:03 pm
Tom, that’s a nice straw man you’ve created. What does Paul Finebaum have to do with UGA athletes being arrested? His columns about Richt being on the hot seat are nonsense, intended to stir the pot.
Tom
July 13th, 2010
5:16 pm
Where did I say Paul Finebaum has something to do with Georgia’s player’s getting arrested? I must have missed that one. Please point that out, I don’t know what specifically you’re referring to.
GatorInGa
July 13th, 2010
5:16 pm
The fact is we (SEC) all recruit the same players. Coaches can do things to help prevent issues but kids still do stupid things.
I hope my coach does what’s appropriate for the situation. Unfortunately we don’t know all the situations so some reactions seem very questionable. A mandetory suspension polcy instituted by the SEC for common bad behavior may be a good thing to have.
However, being a “gayturd” I do find it ironic that 2 of the schools most likely to point fingers at my school and claim “we’re better people” are having issues now.
The most funny statement on this discussion though was the Bama fan defending the book sellers; They were doing it to help disadvantaged friends.
Come on buddy, take off the crimson glasses. I reluctantly took my orange ones off a while ago and while it hurt at the time it’s actually kind of freeing to not have to defend your own stupid statements.
Tom
July 13th, 2010
5:21 pm
As Tony said:
“media are often guilty of wanting to have their cake and eat it too. When the left tackle gets into trouble and embarrasses your university, you want him gone–right now.”
Paul Finebaum is one of those media, that the first time something goes wrong at Georgia, he jumps all over it, and watns Richt gone–right now, as if nothing bad EVER happens to Nick Saban, at least I havn’t seem many of his articles detailing that lately.
You must have not read Tony’s article closely about the media.
Tom
July 13th, 2010
5:27 pm
My point is Nick Saban has been called one of the 10 most hated people in Sports by Forbes. You don’t get that impression reading Paul Finebaum’s puff articles about Saban.
Forbes said Saban was #9 on most hated people in Sports. I’d say it’s likely due to the short tenures and the “unclassy” way Saban has left so many teams in the past.
http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/sports/Forbes-Calls-Traitor-Saban-No-9-Most-Hated-52122707.html
DP
July 13th, 2010
5:33 pm
Tom, I can’t figure out what you’re talking about. Paul Finebaum is a loudmouthed, no integrity rabble rouser. Take a look at the comments from Alabama and Auburn fans ripping him under his columns at al.com.
Tony Barnhart got quite a few negative comments here a while back when he referenced Finebaum’s Richt obsession by referring to “my good friend Paul Finebaum”. The Damon Evans incident gave Finebaum a new opportunity to push his nonsensical “Mark Richt is on the hot seat” nonsense.
WashingtonDCduck
July 13th, 2010
5:45 pm
Hell, in OREGON we’ve had some serious offenses this offseason and it’s really been a black eye on the program. Most casual fans don’t realize just how many kids are getting good grades, doing great things on and off the field but yet the actions of a few bring everyone down. It’s unfortunate.
I appreciate Oregon’s Chip Kelly dropping the hammer though and ridding the cancers in the locker room. Yes, some kids will make mistakes. Ok, I get that. Some though can’t draw the line in the sand and are just bad apples and don’t deserve the privilege of playing football at the University of Oregon. Don’t kick them to the street, and Chip hasn’t, but get them out of the program.
I wish more programs set the example and stopped slapping guys on the wrist (**Cough, raise your hand Florida and ‘Tide**). Coaches need to lay down the law and set examples. Some programs seem to let guys run wild, and sadly if the wins pile up and rings keep coming in than nobody says a word.
What do we do about atheletes behaving badly?
July 13th, 2010
6:05 pm
I JUST DON’T KNOW.
*
Moderation, Wisdom, and Justice
or lock em’ up without a key ?
jasont13
July 13th, 2010
6:14 pm
I believe incidents like what is going on in Athens (underage possesion, public intox, fighting etc.) happens more than people want to think at other schools. The only thing is and I truly believe this the Athens-Clarke County and UGA PD have it in for football players. I’ll give you an example. As a freshman at UGA in 2003 I was in a car that was driven by another under 21 kid and we were pulled over by Athens-Clark County PD. I had a open beer in my lap and my friend driving had been drinking. I was asked to get out of the car and pour the beer out and was given a TICKET for minor in posession of alcohol. Not arrested but given a citation. I went to court and paid a $75 fine and it was never on my record. So why didn’t this happen to Tavarres King? Oh and the driver of the car was told to pull over into the Waffle House parking lot off Lexington and he left his car there and we had to walk back to a friends apartment and none of us spent anytime in jail.
Richard Boone
July 13th, 2010
6:21 pm
There is not a better LEADER in college football
than Head Coach Mark Richt.
Tom
July 13th, 2010
6:26 pm
These kids need to realize we live in a new age—internet, talk radio. Bad news has a MUCH bigger impact now than it used to. And realize that it’s not just a 1 game suspension, the consequences are WAY bigger than that, it’s BIG TME damage to your school, coaches, university, and future career earnings.
Jim
July 13th, 2010
6:30 pm
Future Kings in waiting rarely make super bad choices, because they live with the future in mind, at all times. The risk is too great to blow their entire career, embarras their nation, and disgrace their family. Players should live like they are Princes who will be future Kings, or like they are in line to inherit a fortune contingent on their conduct.
NCAA Football Rules!
July 13th, 2010
6:51 pm
You simply leave out that UGA and UT as well both have alcohol cultures to the extreme. Do most campuses have students that drink (especially on Thursday nights) – Sure! But at some schools (noted party schools) the partying takes precedence over academics and yes…even over football. The trashing of the campus, the 10% of the football team arrested for the past 5 consecutive years, the numerous arrests on gameday to include fans urinating off the upper deck, and the AD arrested for DUI are simply what gets reported. Imagine if you will all the other incidents that do not get reported! The problem is immense at UGA but nobody really wants to deal with the problem. And Mark Richt has not suspended anyone for a game of significance. No way King sits for the SC game unless he commits some crime above the misdemeanor level..just not in his character to truly lead by setting examples out of the misbehavior of others.
POAD
July 13th, 2010
7:06 pm
Remember the Oregon kid Blont that missed most of the season? He punched a player in live TV. The kid did miss most of the season, but I never heard if he was arrested or assult or did jail time. That kid shoulf have been Arrested that night and taken to jail. These players know they can get away with almost anything. Why not kick more kids off the team? There will be a player to fill their shoes soon enough.
N Saban
July 13th, 2010
7:08 pm
Tide Rising, pleaeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…………..
North Ave
July 13th, 2010
7:19 pm
FOR TECH FANS TO GLOAT HERE IS ABSURD. APD DOES NOT HAVE TIME TO FOLLOW YOUR PLAYERS AND AREN’T YOU GLAD. MY SON OR DAUGHTER WILL NEVER GO TO TECH, A GOOD SCHOOL, WITH THE CHANCE OF BEING ASSAULTED BY THE LEECHES OD DOWNTOWN ATLANTA ON THE WAY TO CLASS. APD HAS BETTER THINGS TO DO THAN WORRY ABOUT SOMEONE RIDING A SCOOTER W/O A LICENSE.THIS IS THE ONLY THING YOU CAN SMILE ABOUT. HAVING TROUBLE FILLING YOUR STADIUM, I WONDER WHY?
Finebaum
July 13th, 2010
8:14 pm
Finebaum: Richt-er scale weak as trouble looms for Georgia head coach
Finebaum
July 13th, 2010
8:16 pm
http://blog.al.com/press-register-sports/2010/07/finebaum_richt-er_scale_weak_a.html
Beast from the East
July 13th, 2010
8:47 pm
After reading the posts about my comments this morning, you guys continue to confirm my opinion. Deflect blame, minimize the severity and say that the Athens PD is acting differently than other college town PD’s. I never said that UF does not have a problem with players getting into trouble. They do. The difference is I do not see UF fans trying to say it’s no big deal. It is a big deal and Meyer is addressing it. Hopefully, he will get the players attention and drastically reduce the offenses…..like Saban has over at Bama. If he was in denial like about half of you are, then it would continue to get worse.
The mindset that I see from many UGA supporters just perpetuates the problem. Sorry if it seems like I am lecturing, because that is not my intent. Just stating my opinion.
BWay
July 13th, 2010
8:54 pm
The 2 players from Tennessee are from Ga. Most of Richt’s recruits are from Ga. so I’m guessing the majority of the ones at UGA cited and/or arrested are from Ga. 3 players from Duke were kicked off the team last year for discharging an illegal firearm were from Ga. I grew up in the metropolitan Atl area some time ago and I remember it being a tough place to grow up because you could have so much fun and there wasn’t so much discipline. I wonder if this is a byproduct of kids from Ga. not being prepared for the challenges that present themselves when attending college. I could be wrong.
Also, it looks like the solution based on some previous posts is to deal with the kids effectively by kicking them off the team during the freshman year before you really know what they can do on the field anyway.
Mike T.
July 13th, 2010
9:13 pm
I know Ga. fans don’t want to hear this but their problems started when the players charged the field against the Gators. It is called discipline folks and Georgia doesn’t have any.
What a load of crap. Something that happened three years ago doesn’t have any bearing on
present events. I guess that Gator that stole the credit cards a few years ago is be blamed
on the Florida flop against Miami?
LOVEFALL&FOOTBALL
July 13th, 2010
9:19 pm
Thats a good article. As someone said before all this comes from “WIN AT ANY COST” attitude. These are knuckleheads not student athletes. And this notion that its done on every campus is stupid. It most likely does. BUT STEALING, RAPE, CHEATING and DRUNK DRIVING should not be permitted on ANY CAMPUS.
Beast from the East
July 13th, 2010
9:31 pm
Mike T.,
What flop against Miami would you be referring to?
I agree that the storming off the field has no impact on todays players….especially the ones that weren’t there. But I have to admit, it is ironic that UGA has been struggling every since. Could it be Karma or just bad timing?
UGAGUY
July 13th, 2010
9:41 pm
I’ve been affiliated with multiple ACC/SEC schools, and one of my degrees is from UGA. We at UGA have created a culture where partying is more important than anything. We have a four year graduation rate of UNDER 40%. Our endowment is 10% of UVA’s. Our law school is the only major graduate program ranked in the top 30 nationally (and don’t try to tell me journalism or veterinary services are legit programs). Our fans trash our the center of our own campus after tailgating. AND YOU THINK STUDENT ATHLETES GETTING DRUNK IS OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM? BE ASHAMED.
Rod
July 13th, 2010
9:43 pm
Very well said, Tony. At UGA, there is more than enough reason to run Mark Richt out of Athens on a rail.
Delbert D.
July 13th, 2010
9:46 pm
“Remember the Oregon kid Blont that missed most of the season?”
He was reinstated for the Rose Bowl game. However, the Ducks did kick Jeremiah Masoli, the QB off the team this spring.
DILLIGAF
July 13th, 2010
9:57 pm
Mr. Barnhart,
I always enjoy reading your journalism but please do not ever reference Mark Bradley again.
That’s like Michael Jordan quoting Joe Johnson.
Krogunner
July 13th, 2010
9:57 pm
Time for a new head football coach in Athens! This old school Bobby Bowden, aw shucks attitude is played out. we need a coach that will teach discipline.
#2 BAMA FAN
July 13th, 2010
10:02 pm
Paul Finebaum has good guests during football season after that watching paint dry would be better than to listen to the trouble maker. BTW Tony great read and hope both UT and the dawgs get their
programs turned around. RTR
Andrew
July 13th, 2010
10:06 pm
The problem, Tony, is that for every coach that would actually cut a kid loose, there are dozens waiting to pick those kids up and make them “bullet proof” again and the kids know it. Some coaches egos are bigger than the players. Some coaches think they can “reach” the kids, that they “understand” the kids. Playing time is the only thing they really understand, but we are talking about 18-21 year olds so do you really think they “think” before they drink?
Delbert D.
July 13th, 2010
10:06 pm
When you’re thinking about coaches and leadership, think about who you would be willing to go to war with. Someone who will build the team to perform the mission. Someone who’s going to have to make quick decisions when everything is pure chaos. Football is war, metaphorically.
POAD
July 13th, 2010
10:15 pm
How does Joe Pa keep doing it right after all these years?
Bama fan
July 13th, 2010
10:30 pm
Tom
July 13th, 2010
4:43 pm
“Paul Finebaum is in love with all things Alabama. He’s a flat out biased journalist. He’s known for taking shots at everybody (except Nick Saban–odd?)”
“Of course he despises Richt, who’s like 8-0 against Alabama & Auburn.
So what is this guy Tom’s obsession with Nick Saban and Alabama or Paul Slimebaum? Who cares bout Slimebaum?”
Looks like Tom is obsessed with Alabama and Nick Saban. Wonder how it is that Richt is 8-0 against Alabama and AU. Tom must have forgotten about the blackout game. Guess he also forgot that Bama has won 4 out of the last 7 against UGA. He must be getting a lot of mileage out of those wins over Mike Shula in the early 2000s.
Can’t speak for AU but I thought AU beat UGA 3 out of 4 in the early 2000s and that Richt is something like 5-4 against AU. I reckon Tom only likes those stats that makes the dawgs look good and not overall stats.
Dawg Whisperer
July 13th, 2010
11:04 pm
Ok. I give up. Everything has been tried and applied. Every idea has been considered and debated. As Solomon said, “there is nothing new under the sun” (my paraphrase). Good luck coach Richt. I feel your pain. I had only two teenagers to raise. You get to shepherd about 40 times that many all at the same time. Is it any wonder coaches don’t have any hair (other than Joe Pa) left when they retire?
Mr. Georgia Football Returns
July 14th, 2010
12:25 am
Student behaving badly?
1. They should be confined to the campus. If living off campus, they should be required to move on campus and into the dorm. They may not leave campus without notification and approval.
2.They must pick up trash around campus in an orange jump suit.
3.Coach Richt must become the players personal life coach.
SC Boy
July 14th, 2010
6:27 am
Some of these kids should not even be playing in HS but the desire to win is great there too. Let’s face it. The real problem is the colleges have to recruit some of these thugs less another SEC school takes them. That’s the pressure. Just got to have high standards and take the wins with kids of high character or lose with them. Student/athletes is such a joke.
Tom
July 14th, 2010
7:15 am
In the last 4 games against Alabama & Auburn, Richt’s record is:
3-1 against Alabama
4-0 against Auburn
Richt’s 7-1.
A few player arrests, and we’re all psychology experts. « Get The Picture
July 14th, 2010
7:28 am
[...] and we’re all psychology experts. Jump to Comments Tony Barnhart chimes in with a suggestion on how to rein in player misbehavior. … But I don’t think you ever get a handle on that [...]
Navigator
July 14th, 2010
7:52 am
TB: You don’t do anything, after all, ESPN is married to these folks and their bad behavior. They control sports in the USA, and they need these folks to be successful. They take jock sniffing to a much higher level than anyone thought possible, so get rid of that atmosphere and you get rid of the problem.
The General Feeling
July 14th, 2010
7:59 am
Alabama fans, you have short memories. In Nick Saban’s first year, players were charged with firing machine guns in public and breeding fighting dogs. Not exactly college kid crimes of under age drinking and fighting, huh? Your head coach, a few year’s back, was drunk in a strip club. A head coach before him had an adultrous affair with his secretary.
Now, go back to worshipping your coach and players.
WB
July 14th, 2010
8:05 am
It’s the culture in athens tony. don’t kid yourself. and it was an embarassment to the uga. funny how you don’t point that out.
Mike
July 14th, 2010
9:42 am
The T on the helmet will always stand for Thugs at UThug
lbvba
July 14th, 2010
9:52 am
Pretty simple and straight forward information but most of life’s lessons are just that!
SEC lunchtime links: Gators defriended? | SportsXXL
July 15th, 2010
12:47 am
[...] Tony Barnhart takes a look at how to deal with football players behaving badly. [...]
Hairy Dawg
July 18th, 2010
9:31 am
The problems is Adams and Athens policing. We got to trumps charges on the stinkies players that cant play with SEC talent. That way we free schollies to bring in SEC talent that can play and has speed. Then we Christainizing the SEC talent players who can play on the field. Athens policing got to help us keep SEC talent out of getting in trouble. Adams is blame for that and not letting us recruits like Bammers. If we recruits best players for SEC without Adams then we unload whooping can on SEC for every years.